Aparejo.



No. 692,859. Patented F'eb. ll, I902. J. KELLER &. R. TITSWORTH.

APAREJO.

(Application filed Apr. 25. 1901.)

(No Model.)

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I Patnted Feb. 1|, I902. .1. KELLER & n. mswon'rn.

A P A R E J 0 (Application filed Apr. 25, 1901.)

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To all whom it may concern: I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KELLER AND RICHARD TITSWORTH, FORT BLISS, TEXAS.

APAREJO.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 692,859, dated February 11, 1902.

Application filed April 25, 1901 Be it known that we, J OHN.KELLER and RICHARD TITsWoRtrH, citizensof the United States, stationed at and residing at Fort Bliss, El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aparejos; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention aims to improve the packsaddle or aparejo in use by the United States Army, whereby greater efficiency and, durability are secured and the beast of burden made more comfortable and less liable to'fa-' tigue, since the pressure and load are uniformly distributed upon the animal, which is not bound as by a vise-like grip, whichrejtards arterial circulation and fatigues and detracts from the endurance, and serviceability of the animal.

The invention deals more particularly with the meansfor stiffening the casing forming the body of the aparejo; and it consists of a hollow boot-stick at each end of the casing, ribs of steel inclosed in tubes of rubber, teX-' tile, or any cushioning material and having their lower ends fitted in the boot-sticks and their upper ends loose, and caps fitted to the ends of the ribs to properlyspace them. These features will be set forth more particularly hereinafter and specified in thejappended claims and are illustrated in,,the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the stiffening means in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a top plan iew, the casing or body being extended and parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the inner side of the casing, parts broken away, on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the ribs, showing the caps of the boot-stick. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the caps.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings'by the same reference characters.

The casing comprising the body of the aparejo is composed of two sections of flexible material-as leather, duck, or the like-'- stitched or otherwise secured at or near their Serial No. 57,501. on model.)

' edges and intermediate of their ends in the usual way and about on the lines indicated in the drawings. This casing is flexible and is reinforced at its edges and ends by facings and is provided centrally of. its front edge with the part 1, forming the collar. Flaps 2 project from the rear edge upon opposite sides :ofa central line for the attachment to the (Not shown.) The j aparejo of the crapper. outer. section 3 of thecasing is imperforate,-

Whereas the iunersection at is provided with' openings 5 and a slot v6 for the introduction of the sticks, ribs, and filling materialformingthepadding. In general outline thecasing is of rectangular form, and the space between the sections is occupied by the stiffening' devices and the filling.

Each side and end portion of the aparejo is tacked and stiifened alike. Hence a detailed description of one only willbe given. The boot-stick fitted in the lower end of each side is hollowand consists of a casing? of sheetsteel or other metal and a stiffener 8, the latter being preferably a Wooden stick or bar fitted into the inner closed portion of the casing, so as to prevent longitudinal bending thereof. 7 isopen to receive the lower ends of the ribs 9, by means of which the sides of the aparejo are stiffened in a direction at a right angle to the boot-sticks. The boot-sticks and the ribs are placed in position through the openings 5 and slots 6.. The ribs9 consist of steel rods 10, incased in tubes 11, of rubber, textile, or other material suitable for the purpose. By having The upper or top side of the casing the rods 10 formed of steel they may be exceedserve simply to fill the space between the sections 3 and 4: of the casing or body of the aparejo. The ribs are spaced apart and are protected at their ends by' caps 12 and 1 3 of similar formation, the caps 12 being of metal and the caps 13 of rubber or analogous flexible and soft material. The caps may be single or connected in series, and in either form of construction they are spaced apart the required distance according to the desired spacing between the ribs. The caps 12 are preferably of metal, so as to resist wear, and

are fitted in the space of the boot-stick or casing 7. The upper caps 13 are of rubber to prevent injurious pressure of the upper ends of the ribs on the back of the animal by affording a cushion for the upper ends of the ribs. The caps are spaced apart by longitudinal ribs or lugs 14: at opposite sides thereof. The lower ends of the ribs are connected in series by the boot-sticks, whereas their upper ends are free and adapted to conform readily to the shape of the animal, so as to uniformly distribute the weight and pressure upon the back and side of the animal, which is of material advantage both in point of endurance and comfort of the animal.

In assembling the parts the boot-sticks are first placed in position by insertion through the openings 5, after which the ribs with their ends capped are inserted through the slot 6 and properly arranged in the casing,with their lower ends fitted into the space of the bootsticks. The filling is next placed in position through the openings 5, after which the aparejo is in condition for use in the manner well understood.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In an aparejo, and in combination with the flexible body or casing, boot-sticks located in the ends of the casing, and ribs having their lower ends fitted to said boot-sticks and having their inner or upper ends loose and adapted to conform to the shape of the animal so as to uniformly distribute the pressure and load, substantially as set forth.

2. In an aparejo, and in combination with the casing or body, boot-sticks located in the ends thereof, and ribs having detachable connection with the boot-sticks and loose at their inner or upper ends, substantially as set forth.

3. In an aparejo, and in combination with the flexible casing or body, hollow boot-sticks located at the ends thereof, and ribs having their upper ends loose and their lower ends fitted in the spaces of the boot-sticks, substantially as set forth.

4. In an aparejo, and in combination with the casing or body, ribs located within the casing, means for confining the ribs, and caps fitted to the ends of the ribs and serving to properly space them, substantially as set forth.

5. In an aparejo, and in combination with the casing or body, ribs located within the casing, means for confining the ribs, and caps fitted to the ends of the ribs and having lugs at their sides to properly space the ribs, substantially as set forth.

6. In an aparejo, and in combination with the casing, hollow bootsticks located at the ends of the casing, caps applied to the bootsticks and located in the spaces. thereof, and

ribs having their lower ends inserted in the said caps, substantially as set forth.

7. In an aparejo, and in combination with the casing or body, boot-sticks located at the ends of the casing, ribs-having their lower ends fitted to the boot-sticks, and caps of rubber or analogous soft and flexible material fitted to the upper ends of the ribs and serving to properly space said ends and prevent injurious pressure thereof upon the animal, substantially as set forth.

8. In an aparejo, and in combination with the casing or body, boot-sticks located in the ends of the casing and formed of metal casings and stilfeners, the latter occupying the inner or lower portion of said metal casings, metal caps inserted in the upper spaces of the metal casings, incased spring-metal rods having their lower ends inserted in said metal caps, and caps of rubber or like flexible and soft material fitted to the upper ends of the incased rods, said caps having lugs or projections at their sides to properly space the incased rods, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KELLER. [1,. s.] RICHARD TITSWORTII. [L. s}

lVitnesses:

JUAN TRANCO, F. A. EscoN'r -ims. 

